


No end in sight

by dearly



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Rescue Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 17:50:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6668398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearly/pseuds/dearly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A missing file and now a missing Chief. As her past catches up with her present, it’s up to Peggy to piece together the clues and rescue Daniel before someone gets other ideas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No end in sight

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on Tumblr for the Peggysous Exchange.
> 
> The prompt was: “I almost lost you!”

“Daniel’s been taken.”

Peggy had barely crossed the threshold of duplicitous talent agency before being greeted with the news. She stopped abruptly, oblivious to the door clipping her arm as it swung shut, and blinked in confusion as the woman who’d uttered the distressing message rushed over to her. Rose looked uncharacteristically flustered - her forehead was wrinkled with worry and her glasses sat askew on the bridge of her nose. Her appearance alone would have been enough to alert Peggy that something was wrong, yet it still took a moment to process what she’d just heard - or _thought_ she’d heard. Surely it couldn’t--

“Taken? What do you mean _taken_?...Rose?”

 

* * *

 

Rose wrung her hands and avoided looking at Peggy directly. "I tried calling you the moment we found out but you must have already left the house. I--” The flurry of words broke off with a sigh of frustration. Then taking her by surprise, Rose grabbed hold of Peggy’s arm with an iron grip and led her through the lobby and up the stairs to the SSR offices explaining the situation on the way.

“We got a strange phone call early this morning. Someone claimed they had Chief and were holding him in exchange for some sort of information. It was all very odd like they expected us to know exactly what they wanted but none of the agents could make any sense of it. Most of them are still trying to process what happened to Chief Thompson yesterday. Anyways a few of the guys just got back from checking Daniel’s house and it’s true - he’s gone. The lock on the front door had been smashed in and there were signs of a struggle inside. He must have tried to call for help because the phone had been left off the hook and there was some blood--” Rose paused under the guise of having to catch her breath but Peggy knew she was just sparing her the unsavory details.

In any case, it didn’t matter because the phone rang forcing Rose away and Peggy was left alone with her head spinning. As the other agents convened in the center of the room to formulate a strategy, Peggy quietly slipped into Daniel’s office and collapsed in his chair. She felt numb, too stunned to move or think clearly, but the image of a beaten, bloody Daniel flashing in her mind forced her into concentrating.  For his sake she needed to stay calm and focus just as if it were any other mission.

Closing her eyes, she leaned back in the chair and began running through recent events in her mind trying desperately to recall some sort of clue that might prove relevant.

 _What hadn’t happened?_ Between the extended trip to Los Angeles, the Isodyne case, and Thompson getting shot, it seemed that anything could _and would_ change in an instant. In addition to work, her personal life had taken a sudden turn as her relationship with Daniel made a welcome progression. 

It was strange to think that it had all started in the exact spot she was sitting in now only the day before. She could even still smell his aftershave clinging to the leather, like she could take him in her arms again - like everything was just as it should be. 

Her eyes flashed open.

But now it wasn’t. _Not even close._

How was it possible that so much could change in just twenty-four hours?

 

* * *

 

For a few brief moments, Peggy Carter had finally found bliss. It was the feeling of Daniel’s hair running through her fingers and his moans that resulted as her nails scraped against his scalp. It was the firmness of his chest pressed against her breasts as she sat atop him and shifted from one side to the other trying to grasp at every inch of him and get closer and closer still. It was the taste of his lips and skin as their mouths greedily ravaged one another after being denied the pleasure for so long.

What had only once been a fantasy in her imagination had become reality - a real living, breathing moment that she could hold onto and remember forever. The chaos of the rest of the world faded away into background. Nothing else mattered beyond those four walls. No problems to solve. Nothing to worry about. Only _them_.

When they reluctantly re-emerged sometime later with their clothes rumpled and hair mussed, they expected questions about their lengthy “meeting” but instead were met with the most unimaginable news. Jack Thompson had been shot and was at the hospital in critical condition.

Due to the quick thinking of a hotel maid he was alive, miraculously considering the close range, but still far from being out of danger.

To come down from such a high to discover that one of their own had been attacked was devastating - the lowest of lows. Peggy felt a pang of guilt at finding her long-awaited happiness during such a moment.

Immediately Peggy, Daniel, and the other agents on hand went to the hospital and sat solemnly in cold, stiff chairs for hours waiting to hear Jack’s status after surgery. When the doctor finally emerged, he provided them a glimmer of hope. Thompson had made it through surgery and was stable, but he was going to have a long and arduous recovery ahead of him.

Peggy and Daniel exchanged glances as the other agents breathed a momentary sigh of relief. If there was one person who knew about a long recovery, it was Daniel.

As soon as the doctor left them to return to his patient, Peggy felt a new energy fill the room as their next thoughts turned to how to proceed. Since, it would be hours before Jack was awake, it was decided that the Chief and Peggy should visit the scene of the crime.

Due to it being an attempt on one of their agent’s lives, they were allowed to assist in the investigation. The police had already finished with the preliminary work of dusting for fingerprints and gathering evidence, of which there was little, but after looking around the small hotel room, it was the absence of a specific item that sent off warning bells in Peggy’s head.

“Has anything been removed from this room, Officer?”

“No, Ma’am.”

Peggy carefully walked around the room again and confirmed her suspicions. The file that Jack had planned to use against her was missing. The police had already gone through his packed luggage and documented a list of its contents. There was no account for the file anywhere. Every other piece of paperwork in his briefcase had been carefully detailed.

Jack knew how important the information was, considering the difficulty he’d likely had in obtaining it. He wouldn’t have been careless with it or given it away. Despite their past differences and his ego that was prone to flattery from Vernon and others officials in charge, Peggy knew that he hadn’t betrayed her, not after their last conversation. The only explanation for the missing file was that the shooter had taken it and Peggy was the only person who could possibly be aware of this. Even Daniel didn’t know about its existence. She’d planned on telling him everything once the dust of the Isodyne case had settled.

Since it was late and there was little else they could do for the time being, Daniel convinced Peggy to go home and get some rest. The car ride to the Stark mansion was mostly silent but there was a certain unspoken tension between them. Peggy knew that Daniel had sensed her realization in Jack’s room, but yet he hadn’t pried. He seemed to be waiting for her to explain in her own time. There was trust in his patience.  

As they pulled into the driveway, Peggy felt the emotions of the day finally catch up to her. “Daniel, I...” But the words only dried up in the cool night air.

Daniel turned off the engine and covered her hand with his, squeezing gently. “It’s late. It’s been a long day. Don’t worry about it. Get some rest and we can talk about it in the morning.”

“But I - there’s so much I need to tell you. I just wish...” Her past, her present, her hopes and desires, her failures - all on the tip of her tongue _and yet_...

He squeezed again and smiled gently before getting out of the car and walking around to open her door. Taking his offered hand, she allowed him to lead her to the front door as her exhaustion hit her full on.

Pausing when they reached the house, she sighed feeling a hundred emotions all at once. “This is not at all how I expected this day to go.”

Daniel nodded. “One of the things I learned during the war was how much life can change in an instant. Even at the SSR, I still brace myself for bad news about something happening to one of my agents on a daily basis. It’s the nature of the job, but it’s what I’ve chosen to do, what _we’ve_ chosen to do. You can’t blame yourself for what happened to Thompson or anybody else. We all _chose_ this. I love this work and being able to do it by your side. We make a difference in this world and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Peggy swallowed.

“But having said that,” Daniel continued, sensing her hesitation, “we don’t need to solve every problem tonight. We’ll talk in the morning, okay?”

She nodded as the relief in having Daniel’s trust flooded through her system. “Okay.”

He pressed a chaste kiss to her lips and lingered for a moment. There seemed to be something on his mind as well but he only whispered a quick “goodnight” before heading back to his car.

 _We’ll talk in the morning,_ the comforting words replayed in her mind as she drifted off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

Now sitting alone in his office hours later, she cursed herself for not telling Daniel everything right then and there. Why hadn’t she at least given him some idea about what was happening and why?

But at least now she knew the reason for his kidnapping.

With a renewed sense of determination, Peggy marched out of the office and into the center of the room where the group of agents were gathered.

“They want a file.”

The men turned around and studied her curiously.

“Thompson was in possession of a - of _my_ \- personal file from the war. It was missing from his luggage when Daniel and I went to his room last night meaning that whoever shot Thompson must have taken it. It wasn’t something that he would have left out of his sight. I have a strong feeling that Daniel’s been kidnapped not by the shooter but by someone who wants the information back in their hands. And I know just who that is.”

 

* * *

 

Two hours later Peggy found herself pulling in front of a large abandoned warehouse on the edge of the desert. There was an eerie déjà vu about the scene with the memories of the Isodyne case still fresh in her memory. She half-expected Whitney Frost to waltz out the door and greet her.

Thankfully this time there no threats of atomic bombs or rifts in space - only wartime secrets and those who wished to keep them that way.

An agreement had been reached between the parties. Peggy would provide the information she knew in exchange for Daniel’s release. She must come alone and unarmed. As much as it pained her, she’d acquiesced to the terms and left her trusty pistol at the office, not wanting to chance Daniel’s safety even by stashing it in the glove compartment. 

As soon as she killed the engine, two armed men in expensive looking suits emerged from the building and silently escorted her to an empty concrete-walled room inside. The guards exited and another man in a dark suit entered.

“Agent Margaret Carter,” the man said in her native accent, “We meet at last.”

“It’s Peggy actually,” she replied coolly. “And just who pray might I have the pleasure of addressing?”

The man reached into his jacket and flashed a badge. “Agent Stamford. MI-6. At your service.” He dipped his head courteously but even though it appeared genuine the gesture only added to her irritation.

“Alright, _Agent Stamford_ , I’m not here to waste time with false pleasantries. Let’s get down to business.”

“I see you have learned the American way.” He gave a brief smile and nodded. “As you are likely already aware, it seems that a file, a redacted one concerning yourself, has mysteriously disappeared from the SOE records. We have reason to believe that it has fallen into SSR hands. While our countries may be allies, some secrets need to remain so. Wouldn’t you agree, Agent?”

She ignored the question. “What does Chief Sousa have to do with any of this? He doesn’t know that that file even exists. I demand that you release him at once and I’ll tell you what I know.”

The man smirked. “You’re right he hasn’t given us anything, not even under duress. But we were already aware of his ignorance even before taking him in. I think you know precisely why we’re holding _him_. It was not very difficult to find out about your... _particular attachment_ to the Chief. Our next choice was obvious. How else could we guarantee that you would talk?”

Peggy felt her rage flare again but kept silent.

When Stamford realized she wasn’t going to react he continued with his original questioning. “Now as a British citizen working in America you have to admit this situation looks awfully suspicious. Perhaps passing wartime secrets might help a woman such as yourself advance in your department.”

“If you are implying that the only way I have advanced in my career is through treason and deceit, I would strongly advise against it. I am loyal to both my home country as well as the one I serve now. They do not cancel each other out, as you said we are allies. Besides you know damn well that the file isn’t even mine. It was a forgery to slander the name of my brother. Someone who was jealous of Michael’s accomplishments and feeling threatened by my position in the SOE decided to file a false report about Michael and incriminate myself along with it - kill two birds with one stone and destroy the family name in the process. I worked very hard to get those lies removed and restore the good name of my brother.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s true. It’s on record, redacted or no, and it is information that belongs to Great Britain. We will decide on the validity of such a document. Now if you’ll just tell us where it is we might begin to settle this matter.”

Peggy gritted her teeth and marched straight up to the agent, forcing herself to keep her fists at her side even though she was strongly tempted to knock some sense into the man. “I want to see him first.”

The man considered a moment, then nodded and led her out of the room through a darkened corridor. He stopped in front of an identical looking room as the one they’d just left with the exception of a small window near the door. Even with the dim light, she could make out Daniel sitting on the floor with his back against a far wall. His crutch was missing and there were several wounds on his face with some of the blood having ended up flecked across his shirt. He was battered but conscious and otherwise appeared to be in good form.

Her anger swelled but knowing Daniel’s safety was in her hands she managed to swallow it down. “I want assurances that he walks out of here with me and without further injury.”

The MI-6 agent nodded sharply. “You have my word, Agent Carter.”

With one more look at Daniel who appeared unable to see her, she sighed and began. “You’ll find that file in the hands of Vernon Masters or one of his close associates. I thought he’d been killed in an explosion relating to another case we’d been working on but there’s a chance he’s a good chance he survived since his body was not recovered. He'd persuaded one of our agents into finding information to use against me to advance his career. Vernon works for the FBI but he’s power hungry and will stop at nothing to gain control even if it means turning government agents against each other. That particular agent of ours decided not to side with Vernon and was shot yesterday. The file was stolen from his room. Vernon would have been the only person besides myself that knew about it. None of the other agents were aware of its existence, including Chief Sousa. Send out a search for Vernon or the rest of his minions and I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for. You might want to be careful about warning the FBI since his corruption runs deep. I hope you succeed because you have no idea how much I look forward to seeing him and his men brought to justice.”

Immediately Stamford went to his men who were waiting around the corner to relate the information. Seconds later she heard the screech of tires on the gravel outside as the men sped off in search of the wanted suspects. When Stamford appeared again there was a key in his hand.

“Thank you, Agent Carter. You have been most helpful.”

“Was this really necessary, Agent Stamford? You’ve held an innocent man hostage for nothing.”

Stamford shrugged. “Like I said we had to make sure you’d talk. So it wasn’t quite for nothing. You don’t seem like the type that voluntarily gives away information.” He inserted the key into the lock and unlatched the door with a loud clank of metal. “You’re both free to go.” Without any further explanation, he walked off and out of sight as mysteriously as he’d arrived. _Good riddance_.

At the sound of the door opening, Daniel’s head perked up and when he realized it was Peggy every inch of his body sighed with relief.

“Peg--” he started to say before his voice caught in his throat. He swallowed and regained composure. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Thought she’d managed to control herself, her heart had nearly broken at the sight of him. Yet despite everything he’d been put through, Daniel still was Daniel through-and-through with his usual humor firmly intact. Her steady and resilient partner-in-crime that had become something _more_.

She rushed over to him as he struggled to his feet.

“Oh Daniel, I’m so sorry.” Her eyes brimmed with tears as she helped him stand. “I was so worried. I-I thought I’d almost lost you.”

He placed an arm around her shoulders to steady himself and gave a slightly pained smile. “I survived the war and losing a leg. It would take a lot more than a few British Intelligence guys to break me. Speaking of which - you know I’m a big fan of your country, but that was hardly the hospitality I would expect from your people.”

With her free hand, Peggy smoothed down his hair and then pressed her palm to his cheek as she evaluated his injuries. “Well some of us could learn a thing or two, but I think you’ll find most much more pleasant than those gits.”

“I don’t know,” he said with a teasing tone. “After what I’ve been through, I think you need to take me to England and prove it.”

She studied him thoughtfully. “Deal. Now how about we get you out of here? There’s a first-aid-kit in the car--”

Daniel put up a hand to stop her. “Wait, I was only kidding. Do you really mean you’d take me to England?”

She shrugged. “Of course. My parents aren’t really fond of traveling so how else am I supposed to introduce you to them.”

Daniel’s face softened, completely oblivious to the pain that he was no doubt experiencing. “You know I wanted to tell you something last night and I didn’t and I’ve been beating myself up ever since. Well, um...it’s just that--” The confidence in his manner had vanished replaced with a nervousness as he fumbled for words. It pleased Peggy immensely to see this side of him.

He opened then closed his mouth before sucking in a deep breath and looking back at her. “I love you, Peg.”

She pursed her lips and fought back a smile. “I know.”

“ _Oh_. Right. I guess I was pretty obvious. But I-I just wanted to say it, you know - so you knew for certain. I’ve wanted to say it for some time but I wasn’t sure how you’d take it. I just never want to feel like there’s something I didn’t get to say to you ever again.”

Peggy nodded. “I agree. Speaking of which, you may have also realized it sometime between me grabbing your face and shoving you down in that chair, but I need to say it too - I love you, Daniel, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon so you better get used to me being in Los Angeles.”

He chuckled softly being grabbing his rib and wincing. “I think some of these bruises came from you yesterday.” He waved off her look of concern and then with the most delicate of touches brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. “I don’t ever want there to be secrets between us.”

“Nor do I,” she said soberly. “Which is why I want to tell you about my time in the war and begin explaining what this whole ordeal has been about. But first - let’s get out of here. I don’t know about you but I’ve had my fill of creepy abandoned buildings for the foreseeable future.”

They slowly began to shuffle their way out of the room. “No creepy buildings. Done. Any other requests?” He asked resuming his playful nature.

“Um...well now that your asking: a hot bath, a glass of whiskey, and maybe a trip to one of these beaches that I’ve heard so much about but have yet to see.”

“I think we can manage that. You know before getting so rudely kidnapped I was planning on taking some vacation days myself.” He stopped short, a shadow flashing in his eyes. “That is, I mean, before everything happened with Jack.”

“The hospital called right before I left and said that Jack is awake but isn’t allowed visitors yet. They sounded very positive that he will make a full recovery, but he’s going to need a lot of support.”

Daniel knew full well what that meant. “I’ll do what I can, but I’m not sure he’;; want my help. He’s too headstrong.”

“I think if anyone needs a friend right now it’s Jack and at this point you’re the closest thing resembling one that he’s got. I’ll be there too, of course. Between the two of us, I think we can whip him back into shape.”

Pausing to catch their breath once they’d made it outside, they looked around in awe at the desolate stark beauty of the desert around them. Now that the difficult matter was over they could appreciate their surroundings. It was silent save for the howl of the wind that swept through the valley and stirred up the dust into sandy clouds. The late afternoon sun bathed them in a warm glow which was more than welcome after the drafty bleakness from which they’d emerged. 

Standing together, arms around each other, the only two souls left in the vast empty wilderness after having survived another day - it brought to mind something Daniel had said to her only days before. 

“ _I’m in this with you until the end,_ ” she echoed.

Daniel smiled. “And I meant it.”

“Good,” she replied emphatically before adjusting her arm around his waist and leading them forward once again. “Because we’ve got a long way to go.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments always welcome!
> 
> I'm [agentmc](http://agentmc.tumblr.com/) over on Tumblr. If you ever want to chat about Peggysous or sweater vests - the answer is always yes.


End file.
